Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-23
HALLUCINATI0NS.
FANCIES OF PEOPLE SANE ON ALL POINTS
BUT ONE.
A Man Who Imagined He Had a Glass Slde--Tht
Jumyers-Queer Idea of The Man Who
Thought He Was a Teapot
Nelr York Mirror.

Nt1C York Mirror.
Brewster, in his letters on Natural
Magic" relates an experience of Newton
which shows that anyone has the power to
produce Authorizations at his pleasure.
This philosopher, after having regarded
for some time the image of the sun in n
looking glass, was much surprised, on
directing his eyes toward the dark part of
the room, to see q specter of the sun re-
produced bit by bit, until it shOne
with all the vividncss and all the
color of the real object. The
Authorization afterward reOccurred when-
ever he was in the dark. The same pho
nOmenOn takes place when a person looks
fixedly at a window in a strong light and
then at a wall; a spectral window, with
its panes and bars, soon presents itself.
When | was 4 student attending medical
lectures | remember well our professor on
nervous diseases relating many queer stO-
rieS of the strange fancicS of patients, sane
on all points but one, and on the action OF
q strong mind over q weak one. He used
to relate an old story of how a party of
friends, enjoying themselves one evening at
a waside inn over their cups, conceived
the idea OF making an absent friend OF
| theirs believe himself seriously i'll, the said
friend at that time being a typical spcci-
men of good health. Their friend was a
carrier, who delivered parcels from one
I small town to another this was before the
day of %railrOads), stopping every six or
seven miles at little towns along the way
in all he had five calls. Their scheme was
this: At the first stop friend number one
was to say: John, yOu are not looking
we'll to-day. What is the natter" AT
the second place friend number two was
to SAY: why, John, how i'll you are look.
ing!' And 80 on to the end of his journey.
At the first stopping place he was me-
with the prepared remark: Why, John,
how badly you look. Let the hostler look
after the horses and you come with me and
get q dram of whiskey; it will do you
good" John laughed at him, saying that
he never felt better in his life, and, finish
ing his bushes, went on to the next town,
at the same time pondcringon his friends
remark. When he arrived at stop number
two he was met with the same greeting
only more earnest and exaggerated.
He felt annoyed and said, Never fell
better in all my life" Still he went to the
mirror, and noticing how pale he was,
thought his friends must be right. Al
third and fourth towns the agreement was
kept to the letter, and when poor John ar
rived at the end of his journey he was I'M
able to attend to his business; went TO bed
utterly Frustrated, and died in three days
What had begun as a comedy ended as Z
tragedy.
Similar cases are on record. Many, nj
doubt, have heard of the man with the
glass side. He was a we'll educated gentle
man, moving in good society, correct IL
his business habits and sane on all points
but this. He was quite positive he had a
glass side, and nc arguments or action o.
family or friends could convince him to the
contrary. He was very care
full of the same side, never
attempting to lean on it, allowing no ont
to touch it. and in every way showing Il
all that he knew it was glass. OF course
his friends tried to convince him in every
way that it was an abnormal fancy. They
even hit on the side that he supposed wa
glass blows hard enough to break ever glas'
plate. Eminent physicians were called in
who likewise tried to convince him Of hi
mistake, but all to no purpose.
At length Sir Ashley Cooper, the mos
eminent physician in England, was con.
suited. An appointment was made, and
in company with his family physicians HI
saw the patient. As he was introduced tt
the patient Sir Ashley Cooper began laugh
ing, not at the patient, but at the Othel